Klay Thompson played the final year of his contract last season, battling Father Time. Golden State WarriorsThompson still shot well from three (38.7%), but he clearly took a step back in terms of his efficiency on both ends of the court.
Speculation about Thompson’s future in free agency has intensified since the Warriors missed the 2024 NBA playoffs, and with a negotiating window now open between the player and his current team, it seems likely that Thompson and the Warriors could be headed for a breakup.
The Warriors have yet to make an offer to Thompson ahead of NBA free agency. According to Anthony Slater of The AthleticNegotiations between the Warriors and Thompson are said to be “frozen,” which would likely lead to the 34-year-old Thompson testing the open market for the first time in his career.
Thompson reportedly turned down a two-year, $48 million contract extension from the Warriors last summer. According to NBA insider Shams Charania:It appears Golden State is no longer considering the deal, and given the dearth of teams with cap space this summer, Thompson may not receive the same amount from any other suitors.
For now, the Pistons, Magic, 76ersThe Jazz, Spurs and Thunder all appear to have a path to significant cap space. Thompson could be a good fit in theory for some of those teams, but only if they decide he’s worth more of an investment than a younger free agent. Orlando is rumored to be interested in Thompson, but the club reportedly only wants to offer the free agent a two-year contract. By Jake Fischer of Yahoo! SportsThat wasn’t enough for Thompson a year ago, but at this point he may have no other choice.
Fisher said the Magic could also choose to spend money on Nuggets free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is a few years younger than Thompson and has been a better outside shooter the past few seasons and has earned a reputation for being a good defensive player at this point in his career.
Thompson has spent his entire career with the Warriors after being selected 11th overall by the team in 2012. He played alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green while winning four championships.
It seems odd to see Thompson in a different uniform, but it certainly looks likely. NBA free agency begins June 30.
